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Abstract

REinVIGORate is a non-government/non-profit organization (NGO) whose mission is to inspire and educate at-risk, low income adults for weight loss and wellness in the Las Vegas community in order to promote a trickle-down effect of wellness, activity, and nutritious eating in the home. The program, which is free of charge for participants, targets obese adults (BMI of ≥30) who have the time and commitment to participate in a sixteen-week program and who would normally not have the funds to hire a personal trainer, dietitian, and mental health professional. Our focus is to change the healthy eating and physical activity behavior of the adults that will allow the children in the homes to see the adults as the health role models. The program, in its third round, has now grown to over twenty participants. We have had three groups participate in the REinVIGORate program. The first group of five individuals had three successfully complete programs with marked results. The second group of five individual had two successfully complete programs with remarkable results. The most recent group, currently in week 4 of 16, has started off strong. Our greatest challenge is helping our clients work on changing their emotional or stress related behavior issues attached to eating, over-eating, and portion control. This year marks the first year that the focus is equally divided among the various areas the wellness continuum including psychosocial/mental health, physical health, and nutrition.

Biography

Crystal Petrello M.S., RDN, LD is a registered dietitian and completed her Master?s in Community Nutrition with her research in Food Security. Her research was on the fruit and vegetable intake and behaviors of low income households in the Appalachian Mountain Region of the United States. She is the co-founder and Director of Nutrition for REinVIGORate, a primer non-profit weight loss program based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is also a podcaster for her company PartyRight Life and writes for multiple formats including her book ? But I?m Hungry! ? which she co-authored and was released in 2012.